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Archimedes' Screw Pump

Type Object Region Sicily Time c. -250

The Archimedes' screw pump is an ancient mechanical device that uses a rotating helical blade within a tube casing to lift liquids, traditionally att…

Timeline

  1. c. -250Syracuse · SicilyAccording to the classical documentary tradition, Archimedes designed a screw water-lifting device at Syracuse, using an inclined screw that, when rotated, lifted water along the axial direction, meeting the needs of irrigation and drainage in low-lying areas.
  2. c. -200–-100Sicily and the Nile Delta · EgyptThe screw pump was widely used for field irrigation and marsh reclamation in the Hellenistic and Roman periods; its structure was easy to manufacture on site, making it an important tool of Mediterranean agricultural hydraulics.

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